Lancers Sweep Trailblazers in Walk Off Fashion in MASCAC Opener

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Softball team (7-6, 0-0) opens up their conference play today as they welcome the MCLA Trailblazers (4-9, 0-0) in a rescheduled rematch from Friday. Worcester State would aim to take the extra time before conference action to ensure the team was set to grab their first MASCAC wins of the season.

Final- Game 1 (9-Innings)

MCLA: 8

Worcester State: 9

Final- Game 2

MCLA: 6

Worcester State: 7

How it Happened:

In game one action in this early matchup between these two teams, MCLA started things off early with a bang as Maddy Tetta (Troy, NY) crushed one into the outfield for a double to drive in runners for a 3-0 score. In the bottom of the first inning the Lancers looked to add a point and did so when junior Abigail Kozoil (Lunnenburg, MA) drove in a run to give the Lancers some momentum and their first run of the game. 

Things started to add up quickly in the third inning as sophomore Emma Lapoint (Westfield, MA) would start things off with a single off of a bunt and would advance to second base off of an error on the play and sophomore Bailey Tammaro would bring it home for run number two. Senior Morgan Keefe (Dracut, MA) would make the next score and hit the ball out to center field for a double and score two runs for a score of 4-3 Worcester. Shortly after, sophomore Jayden Kelly (Tyngsboro, MA) would make her mark and  single into center field for an RBI advancing a runner to third and allowing Koziol to come in. To finish off the strong 3rd inning the Lancers had going for them, the momentum would not stop as sophomore Amanada Adamuska (Dudley, MA) singled and advanced to second off of an error and resulting in Bella Gasbarro (Leominster, MA) coming across for run number six. First year Cali Brouillard (Millbury, MA) would send in the last run of the third as she flew out to center field, but allowed sophomore Jayden Kelley (Tynsgboro, MA) to make it 7-3 Worcester. 

Coming off of the huge third inning the Lancers put up, MCLA would respond in the fourth as the junior infielder Ezmeralda Albright (Loves Park, IL)  cranked a single into right field for an RBI making the score 4-7. Soon after the RBI by Albright, Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, MA) would smash in a double for a 2 RBI score cutting the lead just one. Worcester State would respond with an eight run off junior Emma Lanpher (Charlton, MA) but the Trailblazers would not go down without a fight scoring two runs in the seventh to push this game to extra innings. 

Not much scoring would go on until the bottom of the 9th as Gassbaro would score the winning run off of a double into center field giving the Lancers a win of 9-8 in the first matchup of this double header. 

Game two of this double header would end up being just as exciting as the first and this time would start off with Keefe reaching first off of an error and advancing runners resulting in a 2 RBI score making this a 2-0 lead for the Lancers in the early parts of this matchup. 

In the top of the 4th inning MCLA would gain momentum as Lora Woyton (Attleboro, MA) singled off of a bunt for an RBI as it would advance a runner to third and a runner scoring over the plate. After a wild pitch thrown by the Lancers, Ella Staffier (Marshfield, MA) would score off of the wild pitch making the score 2-4. Continuing this dominant inning, the senior outfielder Maddy Teta (Troy, NY) would absolutely crush the ball to right field for a triple resulting in 2 RBIs and a tied game. The scoring wouldn't stop here for the Trailblazers as Kristie Zator (Windham, CT) would fly out in the infield and resulting in Teta scoring for the lead. 

Worcester State would not let this get past them in the bottom of the 4th inning as Lapoint would ground one out to the pitcher and advance a runner to second and across the plate reclaiming a tie game. It would be a back and forth go at each other from the 4th and 5th innings of these two teams as the top of the 5th would gain momentum for the Trailblazers as junior Lora Woyton (Attleboro, MA) would smash a ball to left field for an RBIand a resulting tie. 

Coming into the bottom of the 7th of this game the Lancers would try and put the finishing touches to this second game. Gasbarro, the hero of game one,  would start things off with a double to center field to tie the game. Standout starting pitcher for the game, Emily Bartlett (Lowell, MA), would then single into right field for an RBI resulting in the walkoff win to secure the second win of the day for the Lancers in this doubleheader game against the Trailblazers. 

What' Next:

Worcester State now moves to (9-6, 2-0) and is scheduled to play at Gordon College for a double header with the first game set for 3pm.